Vinay Kumar, Chris Gayle take Bangalore to an easy win over Rajasthan

Total Shares

Brilliant bowling spells by RP Singh and Vinay Kumar gave Royal Challengers Bangalore a comfortable 7-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in the 27th match of the Indian Premier League 2013, being played in Bengaluru.

RCB did have a few hiccups losing Tillakratne Dilshan, Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers in quick succession as Shane Watson struck twice and James Faulkner once to give Rajasthan some hope. Saurabh Tiwary and Chris Gayle though gave the home side a comfortable win scoring 25 and 49 respectively. (BCCI Image)

Rahul Dravid returned 'home' away from IPL home as Rajasthan Royals took on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru. Virat Kohli though won the toss and chose to put Rajasthan in to bat. (BCCI Image)

A dramatic batting collapse triggered by Vinay Kumar and RP Singh saw Rajasthan Royals dip from 90/3 to end their innings on 117. Rahul Dravid and Stuart Binny were the only batsmen to conjure up decent scores of 35 and 33 respectively. (BCCI Image)

Bangalore started on the right note with an early wicket, that of the dangerous Shane Watson. The Australian tried to clear mid-off off a Ravi Rampaul full delivery but Murali Kartik hung on for a fine catch to dismiss him for 6 off 9 balls. (BCCI Image)

Ajinkya Rahane, who looked in decent touch yet again, was then joined by skipper Rahul Dravid as the Bangalore crowd gave him a rapturous welcome. (BCCI Image)

Rahane looked decent with a couple of boundaries off RP Singh and a punching six over mid-off off Rampaul but was done in by a clever change of pace from young Jaydev Unadkat to give RCB their second breakthrough. Rahane got 14 off 13 balls. (BCCI Image)

Dravid meanwhile batted steadily and was given company by Stuart Binny, who looked to attack from the outset. The ploy to bat him at No.4 started to pay dividends as the former Indian all-rounder's son hit four blistering boundaries and one huge six to counter-punch for Rajasthan. (BCCI Image)

He scored 33 from 20 balls before a Vinay Kumar short delivery had him play a horrible shot. RCB keeper Arun Karthik took a smart catch running backwards. (BCCI Image)

With only Dishant Yagnik as the recognised batsman to follow, Dravid and Brad Hodge approached the game cautiously. Their partnership, for most of the 4.5 overs it lasted, did not cross the run-a-ball mark. Dravid then hit a few boundaries off Murali Kartik and Unadkat to gather some momentum. (BCCI Image)

Dravid and Hodge, though, then fell in quick succession to hand the advantage back to Bangalore. Royals skipper went trying to clear the long-on boundary off Kartik as Rampaul pouched an easy catch. He scored 35 off 31 balls and was just starting to open up when he got out. Hodge departed in the very next over as he could not control a Vinay Kumar short-of-a-length ball, edging it straight to keeper Karthik. Hodge scored a slow 13 off 17 balls. (BCCI Image)

RCB then stamped their authority on the game with RP Singh too getting into the act to remove James Faulkner and Dishant Yagnik in the same over. Vinay got his third wicket to remove Sreesanth. Royals went from 90/3 to 117 all-out. (BCCI Image)

Chasing a low total, Tillakratne Dilshan, brought back in for Andrew McDonald, and Chris Gayle took Bangalore off to a bright start. (BCCI Image)

The opening pair played at just about a run-a-ball, quite uncharacteristically, as S Sreesanth and Shaun Tait looked pedestrian at best. (BCCI Image)

RCB's first wicket to fall was Dilshan as Shane Watson, brought in to bowl for the first time this season, struck in his very first over. (BCCI Image)

It was a soft dismissal as the Sri Lankan tried to guide a Watson good length delivery, only managing to give keeper Yagnik a simple catch. He scored 25 off 22 balls. (BCCI Image)

James Faulkner, the Australian left-arm pacer, looked the most threatening of Rajasthan bowlers while Ajit Chandila, the star of the match against Mumbai, was safely negotiated by Bangalore batsmen. (BCCI Image)

Rajasthan then roared back into the game with back-to-back wickets of in form batsmen Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. Kohli was done in by the impressive Faulkner via a slower delivery as the Indian vice-captain inside edged one on to his stumps. (BCCI Image)

De Villiers went trying to hit out very early on in his innings. Chandila took a good diving catch at mid-off as De Villiers probably committed hara-kiri when less than 6-an-over was required. He scored 7 off 8 balls. (BCCI Image)

Gayle and Saurabh Tiwary, playing his first match of the season, then proceeded to take Bangalore home in uncomplicated fashion. (BCCI Image)